Disc drive memories are used in many electronic devices, e.g., personal computers (PC), portable computers, digital cameras, digital video cameras, video game consoles, personal music players, etc. Disc drive memories store digital information recorded on concentric tracks of a magnetic disc medium.
Usually one disc is rotatably mounted on a spindle and the information stored within the disc is accessed using read/write heads or transducers. The read/write heads are located on a pivoting arm that moves radially over the surface of the disc. The discs are rotated at high speeds during operation using an electric motor located inside a hub or below the discs. Magnets on the hub interact with a stator to cause rotation of the hub relative to the stator.
One conventional disc drive utilizes a spindle motor with a fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) to support the hub and discs for rotation. The bearing reduces wear and tear along by reducing friction while maintaining the alignment between the spindle and the shaft.